


It’s Alright

by lxonardo



Category: Splatoon
Genre: Conflict Resolution, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Gay Male Character, Lesbian Character, M/M, Multi, Octo Expansion DLC, One-Sided Attraction, Original Character(s), POV Third Person, Post-Octo Expansion DLC, Psychological Trauma, Splatoon AU, mostly - Freeform, theres mentions of oth but dont actually show up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-01-23
Packaged: 2019-10-14 11:00:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17507351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lxonardo/pseuds/lxonardo
Summary: How much longer can Agent 3 keep ignoring Agent 8, before he completely loses it?





	1. It's alright

**Author's Note:**

> link ( https://twitter.com/hopalfully/status/1086158801877651456 ) for ref pics of my agents (in order: jae, marilla, katungea, and riatla) i’ve never written about my ocs before and this was fun 2 write :33

These past few months have been calm and quiet. Ever since the defeat of Commander Tartar, and saving all of not just Inkopolis, but the world, things have gone back more domestic and simple for the agents. It was nice to have everything be normal again, it would have to be a while before anything drastic starts up again.

However, things _were_ drastic—to Agent 8, otherwise known as Kat. Agent 3, also known as Jae, has been distant, especially around him. They barely ever play in battle together, let alone alone talk. Hell, he’s even more closer to Marilla, who’s both Agent 4 _and_ Jae’s roommate. His anxiety is starting to get the best of him, and sooner or later, he’s going to have to confront him.

Most of the time, whenever they hung out, it was in a group: usually them with Mari and her girlfriend, Ria. Half of the time they’d play rank, and the other they’d do shifts at the Grizzco company. It was a good way to get into the swing of fun and teamwork, because your life didn’t depend on those things. It also took months to learn everyone’s playing style and getting gear for their desired weapons.

It was rare that Kat and Jae were ever alone. Usually Jae would be the first to leave, leaving the three to do whatever else. But when they _are_ together alone, Kat doesn’t hesitate to try to persuade him to talk with his “charms” (annoying him as much as possible). Kat suspects that Mari was secretly trying to get them together by making an excuse to leave early, with Ria, of course. Or it could have just been a gay thing, who knows?

Sometimes, they would converse, even if it was small talk. Nonetheless, Kat was happy whenever they’d talk. They’ve talked enough to know basic information about each other, such as favorites, a little childhood history, each other’s culture, and their mutual interest towards the _Squid Sisters_. Their conversations only lasted a few minutes before Jae would excuse himself to leave. Though it bothered Kat, he never let it get to him.

Not until now.

Tonight was one of the rare nights with them being left alone. Earlier that day the four of them had played turf war, as playing ranked can be quite stressful. Jae was even having a good time, smiling here and there and joining in on sea parties. He usually hates sea parties and taunts, he _is_ a serious player who’s in ranked X. Of course, his teammates teased him about his change of attitude. The agent didn’t mind, though.

 

The fact he was in a good mood made it easy for a meaningful conversation. It was around six at night, the sun setting and making the sky a mixture of pink and orange. The gang were all sitting on a table by Crusty Sean’s food truck, finishing their orders. They almost always gotten Crusty Sean’s after a day of battling.

Jae was actually participating in conversations, which he rarely does. He talked with Kat the most, which any cephalopod with a brain cell would notice. Mari glanced over at Kat, then to her girlfriend, elbowing her.

“I think we’re gonna get going,” she motioned, “right, Ria?”

The taller inkling jumped at the jab, quickly standing up. “Oh, right! Un, see you guys later.”

Not expecting an answer from either of them, Mari took Ria’s hand and gave them one last smirk before the two inklings left.

Kat notices and knows exactly what she’s trying to do, and he’ll have to thank her later. _Finally,_ they’d have a normal conversation.

He was listening to Jae about a funny story from his childhood, but he couldn’t remember exact details because he was staring. The octoling didn’t mean to, he was just noticing the little details as he told his story. The way he pushed back his side bang as he laughed, or when he would actually smile with his white, sharp teeth, almost like a shark..

“...and that’s why I always turn on lights before entering rooms!” Jae had finished a story about a time one of his cousins used to scare him in the dark. He finally acknowledged his surroundings, including Kat, and noticing he didn’t respond.

“Kat?”

“Huh? Oh!” He blushed, realizing he hadn’t paid attention to most of his story. Something about the dark?

“Sorry, your story was so boring I zoned out,” He joked, snickering. Kat always backtracked into a spiteful joke when confronted.

The inkling rolled his eyes, chuckling. “Oh yeah? Why don’t you tell a better story, since mine was so boring?”

“I’d love to!” Kat clicked his tongue. “Problem is, I don’t remember most of my memories from before, so I'll tell you about a time Mari did something stupid.”

“Ha! Fair enough.”

He then went on about a time he introduced her and Ria to the famous band _Off The Hook_ , which was their favorite group. Ria acted like a normal inkling, while Mari literally went blank, standing in silence for a good minute before Marina finally broke the ice. After talking and getting autographs, Mari felt so embarrassed she would not leave her room for a week.

“Ooh, so _that’s_ why she stayed in her room that one time..” Jae thought, remembering bickering with her about chores and coming out to eat. They did reach a compromise; she would help with the chores only if he would let her eat in her room.

“That reminds me, have you ever met the _Squid Sisters_? Me and Mari did technically work with them while saving Inkopolis.”

Kat knew this, Mari did brag on about how she knew them, which made him jealous. He never really gotten the chance to meet them, just only been one concert. Apparently, Mari had gotten backstage passes, and convinced Marie to give her an extra one. Of course, she was originally going to invite her girlfriend to their concert, but Kat had promised to do her chores for a month, which was well worth it.

It was awkward being there when Jae was there. They’d barely talk, and there was this uncomfortable silence that made them  
both uneasy. It also didn’t help that he was developed a crush on him, either.

“No, just been to one of their concerts,” He replied. “Or two, if you count that one time.”

Jae slightly cringed. He was referring to _that_ battle, before they fell underground. Trying to change the subject, he said, “Well, maybe I can take you to meet them myself? If you’d like, of course.”

Kat gasped, his eyes lighting up. “Really? You’d do that?”

Feeling his cheeks warm up, he calmly shrugged and placed his hand over his bare cheek. “Yeah.”

The octoling beamed, wanting to hug the taller one. He didn’t want to scare him off, however, they were finally talking! Verbally would be the best way to give thanks.

“Thanks so much! You have no idea how much this means to me!”

“Well, if Mari wasn’t going to do it, then I might as well, right?” He scoffed, mindlessly placing arm on the table. Jae smiled under his hand—Kat was really adorable about meeting his favorite idols. He reminisced about when he first realized the first two Agents were Callie and Marie themselves.

“I’m sure Mari’s busy...with making out with her girlfriend and working part-time at Crusty Sean.” Kat smiled, “thank Cod we get discounts for our meals.”

“Honestly! I think I’d die if I went a week without their dogs..”

Jae frowned at himself, they were getting off track. “So, when would be a good for you to meet them?”

“Do you know who I am? You think I’m out here doing stuff?” Kat scoffs, waving his hand as he dismissed the idea. “Anytime is fine, dude.”

“Heh, right,” he looked down at the table, before looking back up. “How about sometime next week? I plan on working a lot for the rest of the week, so..”

Kat frowned. Jae liked to work for the Grizzco Industry. It may be a dangerous job, but it has a decent pay. They help with rent and other stuff. His friends worry about the excessive hours he works, there was always a chance of dying. Working as a group was a safer way to ensure everyone’s safety, because they had each other’s backs. Working shifts with random employees might have a different story.

Luckily, he’s always come back with barely any scratches; Kat fears he might actually lose him to Salmonids.

Jae notices his reaction, and is quick with reassuring. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

Kat put his hand on top of his without saying anything. He rubbed his thumb against his knuckles, sighing. Jae looked down at their hands for a few seconds before pulling away out of panic.

“Um,” he quickly glanced sideways before grabbing his bad hanging on his chair. “I have to go.”

“Wh-Wha—?” The sounds of shuffling and the chair grinding against the concrete floor interrupted his train of thought. Jae was all ready walking away, before Kat impulsively grabbed his wrist.

“Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?” Worried, he stood up and looked at him with sad eyes. “Please talk to me.”

Violently pulling his hand away, he spat out, with a small crack in his voice, “don’t make this any harder, Kat.”

He watched as he walked away in a hurry, confused and regretful. Did he do something bad? Why had he pushed away after finally talking? Did him touching him physically make him resort back into his stoic and stern personality?

They were finally making progress, and Kat had to fuck that up because of his stupid crush on him. He grabbed his bag and pulled out his grey sweater, putting it on as it was getting colder. He walked back to his apartment, feeling guilty.

Once he got back, he went straight into his room, not caring if Ria was here or with her girlfriend. Pulling out his phone, he pulled up Jae’s contact info, hesitating to text him. After pacing back and forth for a few moments, he sent a quick text.

_are you okay??_

He dramatically fell onto his back facing up, cursing at himself. _Cod dammit_.


	2. It's okay

It was early in the morning, about six in the morning, and the sound of hot water boiling wakened the octoling. Groaning, he raised out his arms and stretched, followed by loud cracks. He then got out of bed with ease, since he was used to following a strict routine that required an early wake at sunrise. Sometimes before that.

He tries to sleep in, but it’s very hard to do so when you’ve been raised by a military all your life. Riatla is an early bird, but she’s also shocked at how early Kat gets up in the mornings. Anxiety builds up as he remembered the text he sent last night, and goes to check his phone. No reply; he didn’t even appear to read the text. Sighing, Kat slips into his slippers and heads out of his room. Walking into the kitchen, he spotted Ria with a cup of tea and a poppyseed muffin.

“Oh, good morning, Kat,” she greeted with a smile. “Would you like a cup? It’s green tea.”

“Mornin’,” he replies, not fully registered in the conversation. “Yeah, that’d be nice.”

Ria grabs another cup and pours in his cup, sliding it over to him across the dining table. Kat grins at her as thanks as he gently picks up the cup, blowing it to cool.

“So, uh,” Ria starts before sipping her tea. “How was Jae..?”

Kat avoided eye contact with her, not sure if he should say. Last night was weird, when Jae suddenly switched his mood like that. He takes a long sip of his tea before saying anything.

“It was really weird,” Kat said, tapping his fingernails against his cup, then putting it on the table. “At first it went fine, better than usual, actually. But then...he sort of just, shut me off again? I’m not sure if I did something or provoked him?”

Ria hummed in disappointment. They were having a good time together, it was sad things ended up badly. She walked over to the other side of the table to sit next to him, her cup in her hand. Placing her cup down, she grabbed Kat’s hands in her own, to be of comfort.

“I’m really sorry that happened,” Ria looked at him discontentedly, “I wish I could do more to help, but if you want to talk more about it, I’m here.”

Kat smiled with his mouth. “Thanks, Ria.”

Ria was always there for him. She was there when he needed a place to stay, she was her first real family, and just someone he trusted. They related to nearly everything; being gay, having a troubled past, opening up, tastes in food and drinks, waking up early, and other things. They were literally like siblings; prepared to fight and die for each other.

They could also be each other’s emotional support bag, despite life going decently well for Ria.

“I just can’t help but think _I’m_ the reason he pushes me away,” Kat blurts out his thoughts, instantly regretting it.

“No, no, Kat, that’s not it,” Ria reassured. She knew about his crush, but she also knew something else. “I promise you, you’re not the reason exactly.”

“Then why can’t we ever talk? Why does he always try to get away from me? Am I that much of a freak?!”

At this point, tears began to weld in his eyes. He’s been hiding his emotions back for months, he doesn’t know how much longer he can take this. He impulsively gripped her hands, careful not to go too tight.

“Does he hate me because I’m a Octoling?”

He felt devastated. He let his anxiety get the best of him, as hot tears ran down his face. Instinctively, Ria hugged him, like a sad mother would with their hurt child. Kat began to shake a little, clinging tightly onto her, and burying his face onto her shoulder so he wouldn’t have to face her. She told him that wasn't the case, but she wasn't sure he could hear her. 

“‘M sorry,” he mumbled, as more tears fell.

She corresponded by rubbing circles against his back, and awkwardly patting his squishy afro. Though not really sure if he could feel it, she did it anyway as support. Cod knows she needed a friend when she felt this low in her life, so she was going to be that friend.

“It’s alright.”

 

~

 

It wasn’t until around nine thirty that Jae woken up. He had previously done a night shift that took about three hours, and didn’t come back home until around eleven. Mari usually was up still, playing video games if she didn’t stay at Ria’s, or vice versa. He just went straight to bed, though he recalled Mari shouting something to him, but was too tired to remember what.

Groaning, he slowly sat up, and did routinely stretches in his bed; it helped wake him up. Without realizing, he exhaled a big breath he didn’t know he held in. Turns out he was more stressed than he thought. Glancing over at his phone that was charging on his nightstand, he noticed a new text notification came up. One from Ria, and another from—

Oh. Oh, cod.

Stress started to build up inside again. He hadn’t checked his phone since before the incident yesterday. He decided to get out of bed to eat something, something to take his mind off of this.

Hopefully, Mari would still be asleep. She slept in the most out of everyone, sometimes waking up at noon. Walking into the kitchen, without her in sight, he grabbed a granola bar, beginning to eat it in distress.

“Yo.”

Jae jumped, instinctively reaching for a weapon as if he were on the battlefield, only to realize nothing was there. He frowned, realizing it was his fellow roommate, and rolled his eyes.

“Don’t scare me like that,” he scoffed, taking another bite of his bar.

“Pfft, I thought you heard me. Am I really that quiet?” Mari pondered, reaching over to grab an apple from a basket. “I noticed you came in late last night.”

“What are you, an inspector?” Jae said defensively. “I do it all the time.”

“Yeah, but like, you and Kat really seemed to hit it off..” She trailed off, putting pieces together.

“What happened?”

Silence followed for a good minute. Looking down at his granola bar, he slowly took a bite and awkwardly looked back at Mari a couple of times, who was not pleased.

“What do you mean?”

“Cut the bullshit, Jae. Tell me what happened.”

She was getting tired of this. For months, she’d convince him to talk the poor cephalopod, let alone try and be a friend. He’s shared with her about his fears and distrust in himself, but sooner or later he’d have to get over that. He really cared about Kat—hell, _liked_ him—but didn’t want to ruin anything, by being distant.

“Ugh.. we talked, and it was great,” he mumbled as he leaned over the counter, covering the scarred part of his face. “And then, he touched my hand, and I freaked…”

Mari wanted to scream. She wanted to turn him around, slap him across the face, and make him buy her a dog for wasting both her and Kat’s time. She wasn’t going to do that, of course. The inkling would be a little less harsh.

“No offense, but are you _fucking kidding me_?”

Shocked by her vulgarity, he turned to face her, ready to protest. “Exc—“

“You _finally_ talk to the guy, only to push him away?” Mari scorned, crossing her arms. “You need to get your act together, because this has gone long _enough_. Not only are you hurting Kat, you’re hurting your goddamn self.”

“I…”

“I’m going to work,” she claimed, taking her uneaten apple with her into her room to get her bag. “Come talk to me _after_ you’ve apologized to Kat.”

After a few minutes, Mari appeared out of her room, dressed in her work clothes and her bag. She gave him one last glare before leaving the apartment, slamming the door. An unsettling feeling washed over him again, feeling nauseous and timid.

It might have been said with cruelty, but she was right. What he was doing was selfish and cruel, and if he wanted to be on good terms with Kat, he would need to show him he really _did_ care.

After finishing his snack, he walked back into his room, deciding to get dressed to possibly work. He looked over at his phone, and picked it up; he knew what he had to do. Unlocking it, he went to send a text that required looking over again.

_Hey can we talk? I need to explain myself, and apologize. Meet me around the Square tonight around 6?_

It took him over thirty minutes to finally send the text. He didn’t bother reading what Ria sent him, knowing it’ll fall along the same lines of Mari’s opinion.


	3. It's alright

The sound of Kat’s heart pounded inside his chest. He was sitting on a bench outside the main Lobby where cephalopods enter for turf battles. In his hand was a drink from the food truck; a regular drink without any ability essence that is usually drank before playing.

Unsweetened ice tea has been one of his favorites. Without sugar, the tea all ready tasted sweet enough, so there was no point to put any. Besides, sugar tended to make the octoling more tense, especially when stressed.

The time read 5:55 on his phone, he had gotten here ten minutes ago, since his apartment to Inkopolis Square was a fifteen minute walk. He had considered multiple times not to meet him; he didn’t know what Jae was going to say. What if he met him here just to tell him he never wanted to see him again? How would he deal with that?

Another part of him thought something else. That maybe he _did_ like him and was just going to explain why he was so distant. Yeah. He dwelled more with the second option, calming his nerves, and looking out for the inkling.

After about six more minutes, the tall inkling arrived, and Kat’s insides turned inside out all over again. He felt his breathing shorten. He shouldn’t be here. He should have stayed home and pretended he never got his text, he should of—

“Hey.”

Jae sat down next to him, at a reasonable distance. He instantly regretted it after seeing Kat’s reaction. Oh cod, this was a mistake.

“Um, I know you’re probably upset with me, but I really appreciate you meeting with me,” he said, looking down at his hands while fiddling.

Upset was an understatement. Kat was beyond devastated, as tacky as that may seem. He simply nodded even though Jae couldn’t see. Wishing he weren’t here, he took another long sip of his ice tea.

“I…” Jae started, hesitating to continue. “I hurt you, Agent 8. Kat. So many times, and I deeply regret it.”

He took a deep breath, and made eye contact with him, much to his dismay.

“I’ve hurt you when we first met, all those years ago. And I hurt you _again_ not even six months ago, Kat. I tried to _kill_ you!”

Oh, Kat remembered the details very well. Those memories used to give him constant nightmares, as he shuddered at the thought. He noticed that Jae was at his limit, to the point of a breakdown. How he really wanted to take him in his arms, but then remembered what happened last time. However, he wasn’t sure exactly how this related to when he’d be distant with him in the present. Though, he was too anxious to question things right now, so all he could do was listen.

“I thought…I thought if we were distant, I wouldn’t have to hurt you again. But you became friends with Ria, who coincidentally was Mari’s girlfriend, who’s my roommate. I _know_ I caused you physical and emotional trauma, and I hate myself for it. I’m _sorry_!”

Jae was crying at this point, as his side bang completely hid his normal eye. He’d wear a patch over his scarred eye, but he knew he needed to be as vulnerable as possible. Kat at _least_ deserved to see him like this, for making him go through so much shit. He still managed to keep his crying to a minimum due to being in public.

Kat’s heart nearly broke at that image. He didn’t care anymore—he took Jae’s hands in his. A few tears managed to escape, and he silently cursed himself for it.

“No, no… Jae, it’s fine! What happened, happened. It’s all in the past! Nothing can change that!” He exclaimed, feeling a bit annoyed that that was the whole reason for his distress. “I’ve all ready forgiven you. And think of it like this: I’ve managed to beat you _twice_. I’m still here; you didn’t kill me. It wasn’t your fault either time, you didn’t have a choice!”

The inkling shook his head, not caring to hold back anymore. “No! _NO!_ You’re supposed to _hate_ me! Be disgusted, be _repulsed_ by the sight of me! You shouldn’t forgive me! I’ve hurt you then and I hurt you now! I’m awful and I don’t deserve your kindness.”

“If I _did_ really think those things about you, why would I be here _now_?” Kat demanded, tightening his grip. “I _like_ you, Agent 3! You saved my life from being blended! You’ve helped me adjust to my new life in Inkopolis, even if it was small. No vicious killer would care enough to do that!”

“Fuck, I like you, too!” Jae shouted. Luckily, no one was close enough to hear, or maybe they just didn’t care. “I wanted to protect you, specifically from _me_. But I’ve hurt you _more_ from trying to do that, and I’m sorry. I really am.”

Honestly, Jae was still hung up on the fact Kat _liked_ him. He didn’t exactly know if he meant in a platonic or romantic way, but either way, it scared him. How can someone so pure and kind like _him_?

Kat did the unthinkable; he hugged him for the first time. Jae immediately complied, hugging back as tight as he could without strangling him. Could this be a new path in the right direction?

“Thank you,” Kat felt like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. He finally gotten a reason of why Jae acted the way he did. It was understandable, and a little endearing. He blushed at the thought that he wanted to protect him. Perhaps he _did_ have romantic feelings for him as well.

“I understand, however, if you wouldn’t want to see me for a whi—”

“ _No_.”

Man, inklings really _are_ dumb sometimes.

“I want to spend time with you. I want to know more about you, I want to watch your favorite movies, and listen to _Squid Sisters_ with you.”

For the first time, Jae remained silent. He continued to hug him as he wiped his tears with the sleeve of his jacket. It’s sad, because he also wanted to do those things with him. Too bad they’ve wasted months of potential bonding. Cod, he felt so warm. He could live off his body heat for the rest of his life.

“I just,” Kat bit his lip. Awkwardly rubbing his back, he let out a sigh of relief, as he was finally in his arms. “Let’s just…start over?”

Jae nodded. “Yeah…Yeah, okay.”

Well, hopefully Mari would be pleased to know that their relationship has been reconciled. And speaking of Mari..

“Would you still be interested in seeing Callie and Marie with me sometime?”

Kat beamed, finally releasing the hug to make eye contact with him. He nodded rapidly, still gripping his hands tightly.

“Holy shit, yes!”

Though it might take some time to make it up to him, this was a really good start. They needed to talk to Mari because she’s the one who’s been with them recently. It’s been about two years since Jae’s last talked to them; let alone really see them. It’d be best to get approval through someone they’ve still communicate with.

“So, is that a date, then?” Kat teases, though part of him was serious. His witless demeanor sometimes made it hard to be taken seriously, which is definitely used to his advantage.

Usually, Jae would get that he’s joking, but showed flustered instead. “Oh, uh…sure?” He’s never really been on a date, despite being asked out before. He wouldn’t mind going on one with Kat, however.

He chuckled at his response, pushing his luck by kissing the top of his knuckles. “Until then.”

Jae immediately turned red, hating how his skin was so white. Afraid to speak, he quickly got up, still holding his hands. “R-Right! Talk to you soon!”

He released his hands after that, turning to leave as he pulled his hoodie over his head. He was internally screaming, not daring to look back at that probably smug face of his. And he was right,

Kat was smug as he looked back anyway. He gave him a goodbye wink as Jae’s face warmed up even more and slightly sped up his pace.

Snickering, Kat watched as his figure became smaller as he walked back to his apartment. He found it amusing how doing little things of affection drove Jae crazy. _Man, this inkling was cute._

Grabbing his drink, he headed back to his apartment. It’s been only about thirty minutes, so his roommate should still be out. Ria was going to be in for quite a happy ending when she got back.


	4. It's okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> fun fact this was originally going to be three chapters but i kinda wanted my fic to fit a song so... :3

It’s been almost a week ever since Jae officially asked out Kat, even though the whole group was hanging out. Well, at least in Kat’s mind he asked him out. That day was heavy with emotion and trauma, but it had to be done so they can move forward. Ever since their meeting, they’ve texted each other sometimes, about their plans and other casual stuff.

Mari agreed to talk to the _Squid Sisters_ about letting her friends come to see them. It wasn’t going to be a private concert or anything, it was just going to be a private hangout. Today was the day all of them were going to meet in Inkopolis Square to go to the secluded alleyway with a manhole.

Kat was up early that day, deciding what to wear. Mari suggested to wear warm clothes, as they were going somewhere that has high altitude. He’s never really been to Octo Canyon before—but he’s been in Octo Valley, where he first remembered hearing about Agent 3. Most of his memories of early days were fuzzy, but few came back as time passed. After minutes of deciding, he decided on a warm sweater and sweatpants, instead of his usual comfortable shorts. He’d put on a hat of some kind, but usually it’s a _pain_ to do so with his giant afro, so he decided against it.

He was excited to finally meet Callie and Marie in person. Oh, and also have a possible date with Jae. Cod, he hoped he wouldn’t flunk up like Mari did that one time meeting _Off the Hook_. Needing to calm down, he decided to go make breakfast for both himself and his roommate. He wasn’t a great cook, but he aimed to be, so Ria agreed to let him cook as much as possible at a time before she’s gotten tired of it.

It was tricky learning how to cook when all you’ve eaten your whole life was basically scraps of dead sea creatures and seaweed. Learning about new dishes and flavors really sparked a passion in him. He decided on chocolate chip pancakes, not sure how Ria would mind. He needed to eat, he was a little _too_ nervous about today.

Later, everyone had met up in the Square at exactly noon. Everyone was bundled up in warmer clothes, except for Mari, as she had a bag of clothes.

“Whenever I go back to that canyon, I usually end up in my armored clothes,” she had explained with a shrug.

They also pitched in to buy sets of meals from Crusty Sean, as Callie requested they’d do that if it wasn’t too much. It was a good plan, as they had planned to stay there a while. Hopefully the food’ll be fresh by the time they actually eat it.

As they walked to the alleyway, Kat slyly intertwined his fingers along with Jae’s, as they were in the back following the girls. Jae momentarily tensed, but didn’t pull away. There was a comfortable silence between the two, while Jae tried not to show him how red his face has gotten.

“All right! We’re here!” Mari gleefully announced, standing over the manhole. She noticed the handholding, but decided to tease them later for it.

“...Is this it?” Kat asked in confusion. He didn’t know what to expect, but this seemed shady.

“Yes, I know it’s a little sus at first, but I promise it’s all good!” She reassured. “You just enter in; like this!”

Immediately, she went in squid form and entered the grated hole, a small trail of her ink following. Kat was concerned, but mostly confused. Jae was unfazed, he’s done this exact thing before back at the Plaza.

“It’ll be fine,” Jae said, glancing down at him, giving his hand a squeeze before letting go.

He shortly followed Mari, entering in squid form. Ria and Kat looked at each other, dazed.

“Have you done this before?”

“No! I’m not even an agent! But if Mari says it’s safe, I trust her,” Ria took a deep breath as she stood over the hole. “Here goes nothing.”

She was the one holding the bag of everyone’s lunches, and gently held it against her as she did her squid form. Kat was the only one left. He briefly thought about just leaving, going back home or something. But there _is_ a chance the _Squid Sisters_ were down there. He groaned, shrugging off any doubt.

He quickly went in octo form to avoid hesitation. The trip was weirdly smooth, probably due to his ink surrounding him. Within moments he felt himself shoot out of the sewers, and immediately changed back into octoling form. He nearly fell as he landed on his feet, wobbling off the manhole and onto the concrete platform.

“Holy shit! Are you okay?” He heard Mari’s voice.

He finally glanced up, taking in his surroundings. The first thing he saw was the rocky arch in front of him, the top with tentacle shaped rocks. Slowly turning his head, he spotted the singular tree, next to a weirdly placed couch and a T.V. Looking more, he jumped when he saw DJ Octavio in a… snowglobe?

He shouted something in Octarian, backing away.

“Whoa, whoa, Kat!” Mari tried to solace him by gently grabbing his shoulders. “Don’t worry, he’s locked up! I defeated him, you’re safe.”

The octoling took deep breaths, trying to believe the inkling. Jae appeared by his side, grabbing his hand in his. Though Kat couldn’t see clearly due freaking out, he smiled with tender eyes. Kat felt the sudden pressure on his hand and looked up at him, gradually calming down. Mari got off his back once he fully calmed down, which didn’t take much with Jae.

“You good now?”

Kat nodded, still holding Jae’s hand. Jae didn’t mind one bit.

“So, Agent 4, you ever gonna introduce your friends to me..?” A slightly annoyed voice asked, her arms crossed.

Kat twisted around so fast he most likely got whiplash. Holy _shit_. It was Marie _herself_ , along with Callie. Good thing Mari really wasn't lying, or else he'd be pissy. He felt like fainting.

“Oh, hush, Marie. I was comforting my friend,” Mari retorted, mindlessly grabbing her girlfriend’s hand. Ria gave a shy wave to the cousins. The boys shortly followed, walking up closer to them.

“Anyways, this is my girlfriend, Ria, and--”

“Oh my Cod, Agent 4! You have a girlfriend?! And you were never gonna tell us?!” Callie exclaimed, rushing up to shake her hand, beaming.

“Hi, I’m Callie! Er, well, you probably all ready knew that!” Callie went on, ignoring the other two. “How does it feel dating one of Inkopolis’ heroes?”

“W-Well, It certainly is something extraordinary,” Ria said, looking down in awe at the shorter inkling. “I wouldn’t trade this for the world.”  
Mari blushed. “Aww, Ria! You have to be so gushy around the Squid Sisters?”

Callie cooed loudly, while Marie smirked at her, giving her a thumbs up. Ria blushed, more out of fondness than embarrassment. She leaned down, swiftly kissing her cheek to get a rise out of her. Mari squeaked, whining afterwards. While all this happened, Jae was the only one unfazed. Kat giggled, giving a thumbs up to Ria.

Seeing that Mari was too busy being flustered, Marie turned towards the two guys.

“I assume you two are more of her friends?” She asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

“Oh! Well, I’m not sure if you’ve heard of me, but I’m Agent 8, but my real name is Kat.” He explained, barely keeping it together. He was actually talking to Marie!

“Ah, you’re the octoling. Yeah, my gramps mentioned you in our logs,” Marie said, with a genuine smile. “How are you enjoying life in Inkopolis?”

“It’s very well, ma’am! I’m very glad I got the opportunity to be here.”

Marie scoffed. “‘Ma’am’? Please, I’m not 40. No need for profreshionalism.”

“Oh, sorry..”

“Hey, don’t worry about Marie here,” Callie chimed in, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. “She’s like this with everyone! But it doesn’t mean she doesn’t care.”

Marie rolled her eyes. “I’m not _always_ ‘like that’.”

Callie ignored her, and looked over at the tall inkling. “Hey… you look kinda familiar.”

“Oh, yeah, I’m Agent 3. I guess it’s been a while since we’ve last seen each other,” his face mask made it a little hard to understand, but it wasn’t impossible.

“Oh, my _cod_! Jae?! No way!!” Callie was immediately hugging the inkling. “It’s been too long! I knew Agent 4 mentioned you’d be here, but I totally forgot!”

Marie was interested, since it’s been about two years. “How’ve you been?”

“Well, I was sent underground, nearly died a double of times, and met Kat here,” Jae deadpanned. “So I’ve been great.”

Kat felt a sharp stab when he mentioned him. Though he probably didn’t mean it in a bad way, it still felt like a jab in the heart. Jae immediately noticed his mistake, looking towards Kat.

“Ok, meeting Kat wasn’t _so_ bad…”

“Oooh, does our Agent 3 have unrequited feelings for our little octoling friend?” Callie teased, poking at his cheeks.

“He definitely does,” Mari chimed in, moments after showering a certain inkling in kisses.

He glared daggers at her, as he gently grasped Callie’s hands away from his face. “No, I do _]'[_.”

Unrequited would be a funny way to describe their relationship, however. At this point, they were head over heels for one another, though neither of them knew that. Kat snickered, winking at the teased inkling, who instantly turned red.

“All right, all right. Let’s let Agent 3 live, shall we?” Marie chuckled. “I’m hungry, and having to be here for eight hours most days does not help.”

Ria had left the bags of food by the outpost. That’s where they all ate, each receiving their desired lunches. Crusty Sean’s food was still warm, to everyone's relief. What bothered Kat was the fact that DJ Octavio was across the plain, watching them all eat and have a good time. He wasn’t even sure if the DJ remembered him at all, it has been two years. Taking another bite of his dog, he relaxed, knowing he’s locked away, and even not, he could take him on easy.

They all shared stories about their own adventures in regards to saving Inkopolis. Some moments that were cool, or funny, or out right scary. The agents all had some form of scars, both physiologically and physically. They now had the chance to heal together, which was comforting to the agents. Mari even mentioned how even though this place sometimes brought back memories, she liked coming back as often as she could. Though it was mostly to mess with Marie and ink Callie. It was how they bonded. Jae thought it disrespectful to bother the first two agents like that, but Mari just flipped him off and went off about how she was “just having fun!” before he could continue.

“Oh! That reminds me!” Mari stood up, pulling up Ria with her. “Ria! I have to show you one of the coolest things about this place!”

“Oh?” Ria was curious, and trusted her judgement.

“How does tormenting the _Squid Sisters_ remind you--”

“Shut up!” She pointed at him, then used the same hand to grab Ria’s. “C’mon! Let me show you!”

Ria looked like she was going to say something, but was pulled away before she could. Jae groaned as they walked through the arch. “Sometimes 4 just makes me want to…”

“Oh, come on,” Kat nudged him. “She’s playful like that. I mean, you _are_ her roommate, are you not?”

“Plus, everything she does at this point I’m completely unfazed by,” Marie murmured, rolling her eyes. “ _Except_ for the fact she insists I call her Mari. It’d be confusing, which is why I call her Agent 4!”

“It would be kinda funny though…” Callie snickered, taking another bite of her food.

“Callie, you think most things are funny.”

“I do not!”

Ignoring the two bickering, Jae put aside his trash and decided to stretch. He constantly did that throughout his day because staying still in one place for a long time is basically his version of hell. It was rather cold up here, so he decided to keep on his sweater, which made some stretches harder as he preferred to be in contact with his skin. Without his knowledge, Kat secretly glanced over a few times, trying not to be too creepy about checking him out. It was free real estate.

Callie noticed this very quickly, crouching down beside him and elbowing his stomach somewhat roughly. He reddened, hissing and glaring at the pink idol. She motioned towards Jae with her head, winking. Defensively, Kat placed his finger over his mouth to quietly shush her. After a few more minutes, he finished his routine, unaware of the octoling’s constant staring. They accidentally caught eye contact, which caused slight panic within Kat. Taking this as an opportunity to throw a curveball, along with teasing, he leaned over to him, taking his hand.

“Quite can’t get enough of me, can you?” he murmured lowly, winking.

Jae stuttered, finding words to respond. Giving up, he groaned as his face was red. Still holding his hand, Kat rose up, slowly dragging him along. Jae got up with him without another word, and they walked through the arch. The two cousins both looked at each other, chuckling as they became the only ones left in the smaller area.

They noticed big kettles all over the place. Jae remembered these from Octo Valley, whereas Kat was a bit confused to what they were. This place was a little small, but weirdly cozy. As they walked down the metal ramp connected to the concrete floor, Kat realized something critical and possibly life-threatening.

“Wait a minute,” he paused, releasing his hand. “Are we on a floating rock?!”

“You just realized that?”

“Yes! No one told me we’d be thousands of feet in the fucking air!”

“Oh, shit. I thought Mari would’ve told you that part…”

Feeling his anxiety rise, he strayed away from the edge, switching places with Jae. He mindlessly grabbed his hand again, slowly walking around the biggest kettle that was on top of a metal pyramid.

“I mean, it’s not like you haven’t been on high grounds before,” the inkling mentioned, referring to the trials he did in the underground subway station.

“Yeah, when I was _equipped_!” he shouted. “Didn’t you notice Mari’s the only one with protective gear? One false move and we could _die_!”

Okay, Jae _didn’t_ realize that, but still wasn’t too worried. He was always careful about life or death situations. He would never let himself die over Octarians, let alone off a floating rock unequipped. “C’mon, 8, you’re safe. Plus, you’re an Agent who’s dealt with worse things, and succeeded!”

Kat scowled at him, then looked down to avoid looking anywhere else.

“I promise you’re not gonna fall.”

After a few moments, he finally sighed and nodded at him. “I’m making note of that.”

Giving a quick chuckle, Jae squeezed his hand in reassurance. They walked past the big kettle, coming across a clear platform with a view of the canyon below. Even more anxious, he clinged onto the taller’s body, slowly walking around the strange tile. After walking down towards the end, they notice the orange glitter ink leading up on a broken piece of a wall. Neither of them had realized that they’d all have the same ink color, as they couldn’t see their own tentacles. Jae shrugged, immediately going squid form and swimming up the wall.

“Oh, so _this_ is where they went.”

Kat was more than nervous to swim up, but gave himself the courage to do so anyway. As he turned back into his form he clinged onto the inkling, as they were higher up on a limited platform. He reconciled by gently placing a hand on top of his, giving it a couple of pats.

“Mari? Ria?” Jae called out, cupping his mouth with his other hand.

“Hey!” Mari shouted, waving her arm. “Look who finally decided to show up!”

She stood up, politely helping up Ria up and quickly scooping her up, holding her bridal style. Before she could protest, she had a running start and leapt off the higher platform to the one the other two were on. Gently putting her down, she smirked at the two, ignoring any anger and shock from her girlfriend.

“ _Never_ do that again,” Ria hooked her arm around hers, in a mixture of frustration and fear.

“Yeah, uh, that was a bit—”

“Oh, shush. It’s fine,” she dismissed Kat, waving her hand. Despite that, she payed attention to her frightened girlfriend, changing her demeanor. “Sorry, babe, you know I wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t safe.”

She sighed, resting her head on top of hers. Though mostly Mari meant well and loves her, she was stressful sometimes. As she wrapped her arms around her neck, Mari grabbed her hands as she were a backpack.

“Anyway, I was just showing Ria how amazing the view is up there! You can see Inkopolis.”

After saying that, she looked directly at Jae, slightly nudging her head a few times. He was confused, about to ask her what her deal was before she spoke again.

“Well, you guys can see for yourselves. We were just heading back anyway, and maybe we can leave once you’re done?”

“I…” Jae saw her subtle pointing again, which was to Kat. “Oh! Yeah, okay.”

“All right!” She grinned, then looking up at Ria. “Want me to carry you down again?”

“No! No, I think I got it this time.”

Soon they were left alone, with Kat still scared shitless.

“So uh, wanna see the view of Inkopolis?” He mostly asked because it was a good distraction from being so high up.

Kat looked at him as if he asked him to jump off just now. Though, he knew what Mari was doing, with trying to get them alone. If he dies today, he’ll just come back as a ghost and haunt Jae forever. Still holding onto him, he nodded as they scooted a bit closer to the edge, but far enough for enough speed to jump onto the next wall. After Jae gave him one last pat, he transformed and easily jumped off and latched onto the inked wall, safely reaching the top. He gave him a thumbs up and a smile, something he had barely done.

Though the challenge was simple, Kat was afraid of falling, because there could be a chance he’d mess up. Taking a deep breathe, he submerged in the ink, swimming as fast as he could and jumping. As expected, he latched onto the wall, swimming up and immediately out of breathe and on his knees. He panted, murmuring to himself in Octarian.

“Hey, Kat..” Jae kneeled down and rubbed his back. “You’re okay.”

“ _I am_?” He mumbled in his own tongue, evening out his breathing. Looking out, he saw Inkopolis, and slowly rose.

Mari was right, the view was good. Suddenly he felt safer, and fuzzy inside. He felt nostalgic, to his past life and to when he first came up to the surface.

“This...this reminds me of when I first Inkopolis..” It had been months ago, but it still felt like it was yesterday.

“Yeah?” Jae stood by him, taking his hand. If he had a drink ticket for every time they held hands  
today, he’d surely have a lot.

Though they were in the sky, this was the perfect moment. The afternoon sky, a perfect yet startling view, while holding hands with your crush. Would it still be too soon to call this a date?

Taking a chance, Jae lead him closer and closer to the edge. At first he didn’t notice, as he was admiring his surroundings, until he was right on the edge. Jae must of sensed him, because he says something before he could freak.

“It’s okay, I just wanted you to have a closer view,” he explained, attempting to pull him down as he sat. Kat carefully did so, holding his hand the entire time.

Honestly, it wasn’t much different, but it was more comfortable to sit down. He sighed, planting his head down on Jae’s shoulders and resting his eyes. Their hands rested between their laps respectively, as Jae began to gently caress his knuckles with his thumb. He didn’t want this to end; he enjoyed laying on his big soft afro. However, the urge was _killing_ him. How he wanted to just cup the octoling’s face and—

“Hey Jae?” Kat removed his head, much to his dismay.

“Hm?”

“I don’t know if I ever told you this, but thank you.”

Thank him? For what? Almost ruining his life and then falling for him?

It’s almost as he read his mind. “For everything. For being a friend, for saving my life, for being here with me now.”

Oh, cod, oh, fuck. Jae was not about to cry. Not now. Casually shrugging off his feelings, he gave a small smile. “‘S’no biggie, really.”

Kat slightly frowned. “It _is_ a big deal though. You mean a lot to me..”

He grabbed his other hand, scooting as close as he physically could. Jae couldn’t stop staring, especially at his lips.

“You...mean a lot to me, too…” He’s really in deep. He’s never felt this way for anyone, and he doesn’t mind it. And he meant what he said; he mentioned he would keep him safe, and that’s what he was going to do.

Kat’s emotions were more than ecstatic inside. He _really_ wanted to kiss him, so that’s what he did. He slipped off his mask and gently pressed his lips against the inkling’s, feeling butterflies fly all around inside and out. Jae was somewhat shocked, he’s feeling so much. A few seconds passed before he kisses back, praying that he isn’t terrible. His lips were full and soft, he was instantly obsessed. After a few more seconds they finally stopped, getting air.

 _Wait, did I just KISS him? On this day?_ Kat realized his actions and his face slightly fell. He looked at Jae for any signs, but all he got was an expression of bashfulness. He chuckled, putting a hand on his red check, and pressing their foreheads together.

Jae could barely contain himself as he just wanted to drive back in, feeling him again. “Kat, I really like you. And your lips.”

He blushed, but still regained to tease. “Oh, yeah?”

Jae nodded as Kat playfully brought up his hand he held, kissing each knuckle. The inkling felt himself melting, he couldn’t take this. He leaned in for another kiss, pressing harder than necessary. Kat felt he was tense, and he gently placed his hand on his side, giving a light squeeze. As if he were a God, his tension went away completely as he relaxed into their second kiss.

After what felt like an eternity, they finally stopped, but kept their foreheads touching. Quietly panting, they continued looking at each others eyes, despite Jae wearing a large patch over his left. Ever since being hypnotized, he’s been self-conscious about his eye, only taking off his patch at night when he went to bed. The two never really talked about the scars they’ve gotten. Kat had a nasty minty green scar on his back, but the color had faded to be closer to his dark skin, with a tint of green. When he caught his breath, Kat placed a delicate kiss on Jae’s eye patch. Jae flinched a bit, not expecting the sudden affection.

Kat placed his hand on his left cheek, crawling up to his scar. He waited for a reaction before continuing, as Jae seemed okay with it. His scar was big. It nearly covered half of his face. He traced around the outline, not sure if the scar hurt. It didn’t hurt, but it felt weird to have it be touched by someone who wasn’t himself. Jae sighed and closed his eyes, letting Kat fondle with his eye.

“You know what I love most about you?”

The inkling hummed as he felt the warmth of the octoling’s hands on his face. He was only half-listening, being too in blissed with this much affection. Feeling his other hand near one of his, he immediately grabbed it, yearning for more.

“The fact you act so cold and distant, but really, you want to be noticed. You want _love_.”

That stung a bit, but fuck if it weren’t true. He never knew he needed affection like this. Lack of it wasn’t why he was so closed off, however.

Jae only nodded, leaving small pecks on his jawline. “You know what I love about _you_?”

Kat went quiet, something he rarely does. He blushed at the sudden kisses, giggling at the sensation.

“I love that you’re ambitious. You never give up. lYou never gave up fighting for your freedom, or in trials… or me.”

Kat sighed in delight as he planted a quick kiss. “It’s because those things are worth it. _You’re_ worth it, dumbass.”

They both smiled, followed by Jae snickering. “That’s kinda gay.”

“ _Yeah_ ,” Kat deadpanned, but hint with of humor. “And there’s a lot more of that if you stick with me.”

“Cod, I can’t wait.”

“Wow, Pearl and Marina are gonna be hyped once I tell them about my new handsome boyfriend,” He partially teased, only because he was actually going to tell them.

“Flattery can only get you so far, Kat,” he responded, regaining his composure.

“Hey, but it got me this far, didn’t it?” He pointed to their held hands, sticking out his tongue.

“Perhaps,” he smirked. “But are you really gonna tell them? I doubt they remember me.”

“Oh, that’s not true at all. I...used to talk about you all the time to them,” Kat chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Okay, that’s really fucking gay, man.”

“Oh, hush,” he playfully shoved him, careful enough to the side. “I’m gay! Nothing I can do ‘bout it.”

“Hm, same, I guess,” Jae shrugged, crawling over behind Kat, grabbing one of his hands again. "Y'know something? I could get used to this.." 

Smiling, he squeezed his hand as Jae rested his head on his shoulder. It was still kind of early in the day, but they didn't mind spending the remainder up here. 


End file.
